[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

I disagree with this talk of emotional balance. I say we end the film on the highest level.

Now, I'm not saying that Sam screams out "Oh no! THEY'VE CAPTURED MR FRODO!!!" and then a big THE END flashes up on screen. Clearly, you'd have your little Gandalf speech about the Ring being beyond their aid and Theoden et al nod wisely and then it cuts back to Samwise who has this horrified Uh oh! look and then the camera pans out to reveal Mordor in all its shadowy terror.

Now that would rock.

Why do we need the whole thing with Faramir going "Oh, now we understand each other Baggins!" (despite the situation being ridiculous) and then they walk off and talk about Samwise the Brave, after a terribly boring 'battle' for Osgiliath in which nothing interesting happens. The only thing that happens is some drunken catapult action. And no-one ever wanted to see that.

I understand the argument from time, but I would just say this: You can tell the story by the appendices' timeline or you can tell the story by the books. Shelob was in The Two Towers.